Classified as determiners in Modern Grammar, the articles fall under the category of adjectives in the traditional classification of the parts speech as they precede a noun.
A bus hit a lamp post. The bus was damaged and the lamp post was bent.
There was a ghost in the dining room.
The ghost was wearing a black dress.
The is used before a particular person or thing or the one already mentioned or known to us. So, it is known as the definite article.
Show me a book.
Show me the book
A or An is a weakened form of one. It does not point out any definite or particular person or thing
We use A/An before a SINGULAR COUNTABLE NOUN MENTIONED FOR THE FIRST TIME (Countable nouns like chair, car and Uncountable nouns like water, cement, gold, anger etc)
Give me some milk.
The milk is quite hot.
We use some before an uncountable noun.
The use of A/An
1. Numerical one: Give me a mango (one mango)
2. A certain person: I saw a beggar
3. Any: A student should not pay too much attention to his family affairs. A child generally likes to play
4. A Class: A dog is a useful animal. ( the whole class of dogs)
5. The same: Two of a trade seldom agree. (the same trade)
6. Proper noun as a common noun: Kalidas is the Shakespeare of India. ( great poet)
A or An
A is used before a word which begins with a consonant sound
An is used before a word which begins with a vowel sound
| A | An |
| Book, cat, pen Exception : beginning with Yu University, European, A used napkin, a union, a UFO
Phrases begin with 'w' A one way street A one rupee coin | Apple, island, elephant Mute 'h'- hour, honour, an honest error
M' sounds like 'em' _ MP, MBA, MLA, SP, FBI agent, SMS |
Generic use of A/An/the
A tiger/ the tiger is a dangerous animal.
Or
Tigers are………(all tigers)
Omission of articles.
Names of countries, languages, sports, academic subjects.
Chinese is a difficult language
The Chinese are hardworking people.
Before material nouns used in general sense; sugar, gold etc
Gold has breached the 25K barrier.
Common nouns used in the widest sense
Man, woman; child is the father of the man
Generally before Abstract nouns
Her body was racked with grief
But: It was a grief he had never felt before.
Nouns indicating primary purpose
Vicky is at college (he's a student there)
BUT There's a rock show at the college
David is in hospital
BUT She waited in the hospital.
For institutions like school, church, hospital, college, jail, university
Leave out A/An before PHRASES: Kind of, Sort of etc
What kind of girl is she. NOT KIND OF A
Have you got a cheaper sort of TV
Before the names of meals UNLESS 1. It's a spl meal hosted in honour of sb.
2. Preceded by an adjective
We normally have breakfast at eight.
He gave us a good breakfast
A dinner was arranged to welcome the new chief.
Use of The
1. Unique objects earth sun, moon, sky
2. Historical buildings The Taj, The leaning tower of Pisa
3. Plural names of countries; The US, The UK, The Netherlands.
4. Geographical Terms: name of a sea, river, desert etc. Group of islands, chain of mountain, religious books and classics, newspapers
The Atlantic
The Netherlands
The Andes
5. Defining phrases
The girl in blue is Tony's girlfriend
The man with a gun is Arnold
I like the music of Baroque
BUT I like baroque music ^ A class of lively and meaningful music
6. Before the Superlatives and Ordinals; words like First, Second etc
The first week, the best place
7. Inventions
The telephone was invented by AGB
8. Names of some musical instruments.
He plays the piano well.
9. Class of people, nationality
The old, the rich*, the downtrodden, the hindus (*adjectives used as nouns)
10. Period of history
The dark ages, the renaissance, the Jurassic age
Practice Questions
Fill in the blank with: a, an, the or no article.
1. He is_____university teacher.
2. This is perhaps_______best reply you could give.
3. ______peacock is the national bird of India.
4. Milk is sold five rupees______ litre.
5. He learnt _______French in France.
6. Kalidas is ________ Shakespeare of India.
7. We take________ breakfast at 8 am daily.
8. The more you work________ the better it is.
9. _________ rich should not hate_______poor.
10. _________ the dinner which you gave was nice.
11. _________ earth revolves around the sun.
12. Today we need_________ Gandhi to advocate.
13. _________ the Bible is the religious book of the Christians.
14. He is rather__________ foolish fellow.
15. __________ USA is a powerful country.
Comments